Category: Slavery

Victorian Commons, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Georgian, History of Parliament Trust, Scottish History, Slavery, Victorian

Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor

Dr Martin Spychal explores the life of Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860). A farmer’s son from Perthshire, McLagan senior acquired considerable wealth as an enslaver and plantation owner in Demerara (modern-day Guyana) during the early nineteenth century. He received extensive ‘compensation’ under the terms of the 1833 Abolition of Slavery Act. Continue reading Peter McLagan senior (1774-1860): enslaver, plantation owner and landed proprietor

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A man in head and shoulders profile with a three piece suit on and black bow tie
Victorian Commons, 19th Century history, Minority Ethnic History, Slavery, Victorian

Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP

This is the first article in a new series for the Victorian Commons on Peter McLagan (1823-1900), by Dr Martin Spychal, Senior Research Fellow on our House of Commons 1832-1868 project. McLagan was the first Black MP to represent a Scottish constituency, sitting for Linlithgowshire between 1865 and 1893. The series will explore McLagan’s personal, political and professional life, the lives of his close family … Continue reading Peter McLagan (1823-1900): Scotland’s first Black MP

Martin Spychal1 Comment
Georgian, 18th Century history, Legal history, Minority Ethnic History, Slavery

Somerset v Stewart, 1772: an End to Slavery in Britain? 

The campaigning activities of abolitionist MPs such as William Wilberforce and Thomas Fowell Buxton are well-known, but one former MP, who had become a member of the House of Lords, was involved in this question in a rather different way. Joe Baker – Public Engagement Assistant for the History of Parliament – looks at the landmark decision made by Lord Mansfield in the case of … Continue reading Somerset v Stewart, 1772: an End to Slavery in Britain? 

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Slavery, 19th Century history, Charles Grey, 2nd Earl Grey, Economic history, Georgian, Victorian

1833 Slavery Abolition Act: The Long Road to Emancipation in the British West Indies

Today marks the anniversary of the 1833 Slavery Abolition Act receiving royal assent. But why was this bill necessary 26 years after the passing of the 1807 Slave Trade Act, and why was full emancipation not reached until 1838? Our Public Engagement Assistant Joe Baker looks further into the specifics of the Act… In 1807, Parliament passed An Act for the Abolition of the Slave … Continue reading 1833 Slavery Abolition Act: The Long Road to Emancipation in the British West Indies

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Georgian Lords, 18th Century history, Factions, Georgian, Legal history, Military history, Parties, Slavery, Social history

The earl of Abingdon and the treatment of American prisoners of war

In the latest post for the Georgian Lords, Dr Robin Eagles highlights the career of one of the House’s more eccentric orators: Willoughby Bertie, 4th earl of Abingdon: musician, breeder of champion race-horses and radical politician concerned about corruption at the top and the treatment of prisoners. The 4th earl of Abingdon, is probably best known as one of the 18th century’s more talented amateur … Continue reading The earl of Abingdon and the treatment of American prisoners of war

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Georgian, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Minority Ethnic History, Slavery, Social history, Victorian, Women and Parliament

Catherine Despard (c.1755-1815): Wife, Mother, Radical advocate 

You may have heard of Catherine Despard from the television series Poldark. In this blog Helen Wilson, PhD candidate with the History of Parliament and Open University, who is researching the Black and Mixed Ethnicity Presence in British Politics, 1750-1850, discusses Catherine’s marriage to Edward Despard and their status as an interracial couple involved in radical campaigns. The Despard conspiracy occurred in early 1802 and … Continue reading Catherine Despard (c.1755-1815): Wife, Mother, Radical advocate 

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 18th Century history, Art, Fashion and Material Culture, Buildings and Architecture, Elections, Georgian, Georgian Lords, Health and Medicine, Local History, Slavery, Social history

Conference Report: Bath 250

On 29 and 30 September the opening of Bath’s historic (Upper) Assembly Rooms was marked with a conference over Zoom, followed by a live event in the Assembly Rooms where conference participants were able to experience a display of dances from the Ridotto, which had opened the Rooms precisely 250 years before in 1771. We welcome back one of the speakers, Jemima Hubberstey, a doctoral … Continue reading Conference Report: Bath 250

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Conferences, Seminars and Events, 18th Century history, 19th Century history, Georgian Lords, Scottish History, Slavery

Henry Dundas: A ‘great delayer’ of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

Ahead of next Tuesday’s Virtual IHR Parliaments, Politics and People seminar, we hear from Dr Stephen Mullen of the University of Glasgow. On 12 October 2021, between 5.15 p.m. and 6.30 p.m., Stephen will be responding to your questions about his pre-circulated paper on Henry Dundas and the transatlantic slave trade. Details of how to join the discussion are available here, or by contacting seminar@histparl.ac.uk. … Continue reading Henry Dundas: A ‘great delayer’ of the Abolition of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Oliver Cromwell, Richard Cromwell, Slavery

Oliver Cromwell’s Western Designer

In today’s blog Dr David Scott, senior research fellow for our Commons 1640-1660 project, continues our look at parliamentary links to the trade of enslaved people and colonial expansion in the seventeenth century. The name Martin Noell may not be familiar nowadays, but this notorious merchant trader rose to prominence during the interregnum and his legacy ought not to be overlooked when considering Parliament’s colonial … Continue reading Oliver Cromwell’s Western Designer

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James I to Restoration, 17th Century history, Interregnum, Richard Cromwell, Slavery

Parliament and Forced Colonial Labour in Richard Cromwell’s Parliament, 1659

In today’s blog Dr Stephen Roberts concludes his three-part blog series discussing parliamentary reactions to the 17th century transatlantic slave trade. Here Dr Roberts considers the case of a group of political prisoners who had been transported as indentured servants in 1655. As noted in the first blog, the transportation of slaves from West Africa grew proportionally with the development of the Caribbean as an … Continue reading Parliament and Forced Colonial Labour in Richard Cromwell’s Parliament, 1659

Stephen Roberts1 Comment